Punjabi In New York – Baljeet Sandhu Interview and New Track

New York, New York, it is that special place that inspires many, from the Broadway stages to the street performers of Times Square, creativity is everywhere, so if you are desi in New York, why not use all that inspiration that is around you to re-light a flame and passion for music, that is exactly what Baljeet Sandhu has done. We decided to hook up with Baljeet and try to understand why he has come back and what he has to offer now

Was the fire always burning to sing again after “Duniya Matlab Di” & why the delay

“Yes Definitely! Duniya Matlab Di put more fuel on the fire because I wanted to improve and show my full potential. That was a non-commercial release and something I wanted to release as a personal message.”

And the delay? Did you use the time to learn more about singing?

The delay – I felt I needed to work harder on my vocals and mature as a vocalist.

Very honest of you to say that!

The public are not easily fooled, I spent a lot of time with my Ustad Ji learning and training. With the blessing of my Ustad-ji I am pleased to have released this track. I also spent a lot of time selecting the right song that clicked. I literally went through between 40-50 different songs before selecting “Nachiya Kare Gi”. With my music producer being based in India it was time-consuming making several trips to India for the music.

How hard is it being away from Punjab whilst trying to establish a name

It is challenging, as my Ustad ji (Shamshad Ali Khan) is based in Panjab. I spent all of 2015 training with my him before releasing “Duniya Matlab Di”. I then spent 4 months with him again prior to this new track. The new track would not have been possible without him. He has trained and prepared me for this track and also made the composition for Nachiya Kare Gi.

Hopefully this track can help me open some doors, so I can travel back to India more often , hopefully to perform and raise awareness. I have a team in New York that I’m working with trying to build the industry in North America. There are just a few of us locally and we encourage each other.

What does the new song offer

The new song is made for the dance floor with great lyrics written by Dilbara Chappar. Most of the music of this song was created with live instruments so I think it bangs a little more. It’s a song that is going to get you hyped and move your body. The video was done by Jabar Jung, a local talent of New York. Just like the song, the video is uplifting and makes you want to just get up and dance.

What is next for 2018

The next track I’m working on is also a Bhangra song. The music is being done by Rokitbeats, another local talent of New York. It offers a variety of live instruments that really makes it a banger.

Let’s see what kind of response Nachiya Kare Gi and the next song gets. From there we can figure out our next steps on what to release next.

Genuine, not a word that you can use for a lot of people you meet in the game, but loving the desire and passion coming from Baljeet, and the fact he wants to develop a sound with those around him is a huge positive for him and the scene as we need new sounds to push the scene, good luck Baljeet Sandhu!!